Story

Juttis’s roots stretch back to 1884

The Helsinki Workers’ Association was already serving libations to its members in Helsinki on Kaivokatu in 1884. The association moved to Yrjönkatu 14 years later and service continued in the new space. The place became known as Juttutupa, loosely translated as story cabin.

The move to the rugged granite castle

In 1906, a new Worker’s House was planned for the opposite side of the Pitkäsilta bridge. The façade of this new building was made out of the granite rock on which it stands. The new, imposing, rugged castle-like building was completed in 1908. That same year a restaurant, split into two sections, was opened. The men’s side of the restaurant, known as Juttutupa, stretched along the Säästöpankinranta side of the building. The women’s side, “the holiest of the holies” was located in the interior of the building. The split, however, was soon abandoned. Around the same time, plans of revolution were brewing in a corner table where Otto-Ville Kuusinen and V. I. Lenin could be spotted. To this day this spot is known as “the Revolution Table”.

Board up the door and close off the taps!

In 1917 the Red Guards were quartered on lower levels of the Worker’s House. The gymnasium, which today is Restaurant Graniittilinna, served as the armoury. As a result, during the 1918 civil war, the White Guard bombarded Juttutupa. Nevertheless, the restaurant was rebuilt and re-opened its doors that same year, but this time, due to the temperance movement, as a temperance bar.

In 1930, during the ”peasant marches” government officials boarded up the doors and closed the restaurant in an effort to quell the unrest. After the end of prohibition in 1932 strong beer once again flowed in Juttutupa and in 1934 the restaurant was fully licenced, despite no shortage of opposition. Later, as the temperance movement gained power within the Helsinki Worker’s Association, service was again interrupted. The restaurant became publishing house Tammi Oy’s warehouse. Later on it became the Demari’s, the Finnish Social Democratic Party’s newspaper’s, printing house and storage space.

May Day and Juttutupa’s new beginning

1979 can be considered the beginning of the current incarnation of Juttutupa. On May Day, labour’s biggest celebration, the Helsinki Worker’s Association opened restaurant Juttutupa in its familiar place. After a long and meticulous restoration, the restaurant was able to return the original ambiance and feeling to the historic location. The restaurant was expanded in 1982 as the Vintti and Juntta cabinets were opened. In the 1980’s, the latter was used by prime minister Kalevi Sorsa for high level political meetings.

From traditional songs to Jazz

In 1987 the Junta and Vintti cabinets were transformed into the restaurant Marco Polo while Juttutupa continued its operations. The Helsinki Worker’s Association gave up all its restaurant operations in 1996 and sold Juttutupa and Marco Polo to Graniittiravintolat. Juttutupa’s bar was moved closer to its original location and live music offered shifted from traditional songs to more contemporary, jazzy styles. The Rytmihäiriö and the Jazzliitto Club nights were launched. The Marco Polo bar was renovated in 1999 and the darts hall was restored back into a dining cabinet. In 2008 the Marco Polo restaurant was merged with Juttutupa and the united restaurant now carries the Juttutupa name.